Control Diabetes Epidemic with a Healthy Lifestyle
India has more than 70 million people living with diabetes out of which almost 36 million cases remain undiagnosed. It is more prevalent among men than women and is one of the leading causes of many other complicated diseases. But, diabetes can be managed or prevented with a few lifestyle modifications.Diabetics lack the ability to produce or use insulin efficiently. Certain risk factors place individuals at a higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.
Risk Factors
Common risk factors include:·
- Old age
- Obesity
- Family history of diabetes or history of gestational diabetes
- Impaired glucose metabolism
- Physical inactivity
- Race or ethnicity
Symptoms
Many individuals are oblivious of their symptoms and diabetes goes undiagnosed in such people. Some people with Type 2-diabetes have no symptoms at all. It is recommended to visit your physician if you have any of these symptoms:·
- Extreme hunger
- Unusual weight loss
- Extreme fatigue and irritability
- Extreme thirst and frequent urination
- Frequent infections or cuts and bruises that heal slowly
Impede Diabetes:
Studies prove that weight loss through simple diet modifications and exercise can help to delay or prevent diabetes and its complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage and other health problems. A registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) would be your perfect ally to strategize a meal plan to make these lifestyle changes. Once diagnosed with diabetes, you can meet your RDN and share your weight, height, medicines, lifestyle and other health problems that you may have. RDNs can help you fight against diabetes while keeping your body nourished with all the nutritional needs.